Avro Lancaster Avro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster the most famous of all Avro military aircraft, and without doubt the most successful heavy night bomber to be deployed over Europe, during World War II. Under the cover of darkness, on May 17, 1943, nineteen Lancaster heavy bombers of Royal Air Force Bomber Command, flew over the coast of occupied Europe on a most secret mission. The crews were specially trained and the aircraft specially prepared to carry barrel shaped bombs designed by Barnes Wallis. As the targets loomed closer, the designated aircraft initiated their attack runs at very low altitude. The first Lancaster released its bomb, followed by the other aircraft in its group, and as each pulled away the crew could see the bomb bouncing along the surface of the lake towards its concrete target, striking it and finally sinking and exploding. Back at base the news broke—Lancasters of 617 Squadron had breached the Moehne, Eder and Sorpe dams in northwest Germany, and had caused major flooding of the vital Ruhr Valley industrial area. The floods had drowned some 1,200 German workers, but the cost was high with the loss of eight RAF Lancaster bombers and crews.

This daring venture, and the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz in a Norwegian fjord in 1944, are the best known of all the exploits of the Lancaster, yet it was as the ceaseless night-time destroyer of German industrial centers and cities that it did most to bring the war to a close. The Lancaster bomber holds a special place of affection mingled with a great deal of pride in the hearts of British and Commonwealth citizens—feelings which perhaps find their parallel in the hearts of Americans toward the B-17 Flying Fortress . Just as the Spitfire epitomized the Commonwealth's supreme spirit of defiance in the face of seemingly irresistible defeat, so the evening sight and sound of streams of Lancasters "heading out" toward the heartland of the German Reich was the ultimate translation of a war weary people's will to see the Nazi military and industrial machine—the source of colossal suffering for so much of the world—battered into oblivion. The Lancaster flew for the first time on January 9, 1941 as a four-engine development of the Avro Manchester. The RAF began to equip with Mk Is in early 1942, and used them first on March 10th against targets in Essen.

Altogether, more than 7,300 Lancasters were produced in Britain as Mks I to VII and in Canada as Mk Xs, and they dropped more than 608,000 tons of bombs on 156,000 wartime missions. Some Lancasters were still flying with the RAF in the early 1950s as maritime-reconnaissance, photo-reconnaissance and rescue aircraft. Like all successful aircraft, the Lancaster not only looked good but its flying characteristics matched its appearance. It is all the more ironic therefore that the birth of Avro's mighty machine owed so much to failure, the failure of its immediate predecessor, the twin engine Avro Manchester. The Avro 683 evolved almost accidentally as a result of recurrent failure of the insufficiently developed Rolls Royce Vulture engines installed on the Manchester. The Avro 679 Manchester was the predecessor to the Lancaster, which performed poorly due to the inadequacies of its Rolls Royce Vulture engines. In May 1936, Group Captain R.D.

Oxland, Director of the Air Ministry's Operational Requirements, issued specification P.131/36 for a twin engine bomber capable of carrying internally a 12,000 lb maximum bomb load, or a single 8,000 lb bomb, or a pair of torpedoes. Two firms were invited to build prototypes of their design submissions, Handley Page submitted the HP 56 and Avro the 679. During the trials, the HP 56 was rejected, because of a projected shortage of Rolls-Royce engines. Within weeks of Avro receiving a prototype order, a production order was placed for 200 machines to the new Specification 191/37. Large when compared with other twin engine aircraft the P.131/36 was actually powered by four Rolls-Royce engines. Under the designation Vulture , Rolls-Royce had mated a pair of V12 cylinder Kestrel engines with a common crankcase creating a 24 cylinder "X" engine and a lot of trouble.

On July 25, 1939, the prototype, L7246 was flown for the first time with Group Captain H.A. Brown at the controls. While airborne for only 17 minutes, it was long enough to realize that the Vulture engines were turning out much less power than anticipated and wing loading made the aircraft extremely difficult to fly. To correct lateral instability a central fin was added to the second prototype, L7247, which flew for the first time on May 26,1940. The second machine was armed with six .303 Browning machine guns, two in the nose, ventral and tail turrets. Production quickly followed with the first production machine, L7276, rolling out on August 5, 1940 during the height of the Battle of Britain. Production machines had a wing span increase and the ventral turret was removed to the dorsal position. The need for additional modifications and the urgency of manufacturing fighters slowed down production of the P.13136, which was now known as the Manchester. L7277. The second production machine, was not delivered until October 25, 1940.

Avro Lancaster B Mk. I This second production machine was delivered to No. 207 Squadron at Waddington under the command of Wing Commander Hyde, which had been reformed to work up the still secret Manchester. By the end of the year, No. 207 Squadron had received some twenty machines. On January 9, 1941, the existence of the Manchester was revealed to the full RAF and on February 24, six Manchesters were part of the attacking force raiding Brest where a Hipper class cruiser was reported. All machines returned safely, but L7284 crash landed at Waddington when the hydraulic system failed. Trouble with the hydraulic system persisted, but was eventually traced to an oil leak which fouled the undercarriage micro switches and was corrected. Problems with the Vulture power plants were not so easily solved however, and No. 207 Squadron seldom had more than five machines serviceable at one time. On the night of March 13, 1941, the first Manchester was lost to enemy action when L7319 was shot down shortly after takeoff from Waddington by Feld W.

Hans Hahn of I/NJG 2. Most of the Manchester's mechanical problems by now had been solved and a second assembly line, at Metropolitan Vickers, which began turning out machines for the new Squadrons being formed. The basic problem with the Manchester, that of being underpowered, was still to be addressed. With a service ceiling of only 10,000 feet, the loss of one engine resulted in an almost immediate loss of height. The poor performance of the Manchester caused one squadron to (only half-jokingly) plan their squadron reunion in POW camp. In April, all Manchesters were grounded when faults were found in the Vulture engine bearings. On June 16, the Manchesters were again grounded to modify the cooling system, and again on June 30 for complete engine overhauls and testing, the results of which were a further series of modifications. On August 7, operations were resumed at which time two further faults showed up. The tail flutter, which was eventually corrected by redesigning the tail to an enlarged twin fin configuration under the designation Manchester IA, and the propeller feathering problem which was not so easily traced. Engine problems seemed to increase rather than abate and casualties grew.

During initial trials of the Manchester prototype, it had been quickly realized that the 24 cylinder Vultures were not turning out the anticipated power. Two projects were initiated to correct the situation, replacement of the Vultures with a pair of Napier Sabre or Bristol Centaurus engines, keeping the twin engine configuration under the designation Manchester Mk II, or by reconfiguring the aircraft to a four engine machine under the designation Manchester Mk III. The four engine solution was completed first, and so successfully that the twin engine projects were dropped out of hand. Only 300 Lancaster IIs were built with 1,650 hp Bristol Hercules VI radial engines. Owing to delays in the full development of the Vulture engine, the decision was taken in mid 1940 to design a new version of the Manchester with four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. The first conversion made use of about 75 per cent of the Manchester's parts and assemblies, the principal change being the provision of a new center section of the wing with mountings for Merlin engines. This aircraft became the first prototype of the Lancaster. A second prototype fitted with Merlins and significantly modified in detail was designed, built and flown in just eight months.

The first production Lancaster I flew just over five months later, its power plant comprising similar 954 kW (1,280 hp) Rolls-Royce Merlin XX Vee, liquid-cooled engines, each driving a three-blade constant-speed and fully feathering propeller. Because of the possibility of some interruption in Merlin production, the Lancaster II was built with 1,230 kW (1,650 hp) Bristol Hercules VI radial engines. These fears did not materialize, with the result that only 300 Lancaster IIs were built. BT308, a standard Manchester airframe, was fitted with a new wing center section into which were installed four of the very reliable Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines. Flying for the first time on January 9, 1941, that flight was enough to convince Roy Dobson and his designers that true success had been achieved. The doubling from two to four motors meant an increase in the Manchester's maximum bomb load, from 10,350 lbs to an operational average of 12,000/14,000 lbs.

Fuel capacity was increased from 1,700 to 2,154 gallons and range increased from 1,200 miles to 2,350 miles. Bomber Command now had a bomber that could penetrate deep into Nazi occupied Europe with a much larger bomb load and could reasonably expect to evade or fight off all that the enemy could provide in defensive measures—and at an altitude more than double the Manchester's meager 10,000 foot ceiling. Of even more importance to the crews flying the bomber into enemy air space was the security afforded them by the reliability of the newly installed Merlin power plants. Official testing at Boscombe Down during March found that the elevators and ailerons responded well at either end of an I.A.S. range of 100 to 290 mph, but rudder pressure did increase with speed. The strong tendency to swing to port during takeoff was solved by advancing the port-outer throttle and raising the tail quickly, to allow the pilot to bring the rudders into play. In May the second prototype, DG595, took to the air.

In contrast to BT308, she carried both mid-upper and ventral turrets and a newly designed and enlarged twin tail configuration which discarded the center fin. New 1,280 HP Merlin XX engines had been installed in place of the earlier Merlin Xs. The RAF now had a bomber with which it could wage war in Germany. There would be no more talk around the squadrons about reunions in POW camp! Avro lancaster I - "Admiral Prune," 106 Sq., Syerston November 1942 Guy Gibson Photo from 617 Squadron the "Dambusters" In 1942 Guy Gibson expressed a desire to return to Bomber Command, and he soon received a telegram asking him to report for an interview with the newly appointed C-in-C Bomber Command, "Bomber" Harris. Apparently the interview must have gone well because two days later another telegram arrived telling him he was to command the 106th Bomber Squadron at Coningsby, in Lincolnshire.

Gibson named his aircraft "Admiral Prune," and the aircraft's side was decorated with a Mickey Mouse figure with bombs underneath, depicting the number of trips the aircraft carried out. First operational RAF squadron to be equipped with Lancasters was No 44, which used them operationally for the first time on March 3, 1942 laying mines in the Heligoland Bight. Defended by ten machine-guns and carrying a maximum bomb load of 6,350 kg (14,000 lb). The Lancaster was, and soon proved itself to be a formidable weapon in the hands of the RAF, which had, by mid 1942, learned a great deal about night bombing operations over Europe. By comparison with contemporary four-engined bombers it was statistically the most effective, dropping 132 tons of bombs for each aircraft lost on operations; the corresponding figure for the Halifax and Stirling were 56 and 41 tons respectively. The Lancaster was so right from the beginning that there were very few changes in airframe design during its wartime service.

Improved power plants, however, provided steadily improving performance: the Lancaster VII, for example, with 1,207 kW (1,620 hp) Merlin 24 engines, had a maximum takeoff weight of 30,844 kg (68,000 lb) by comparison with the 22,680 kg (50,000 lb) of the early Is. Bomb load changed considerably, the cavernous bomb bay being designed originally to carry bombs of up to 4,000 lb, with a total bomb load of 6,350 kg (14,000 lb); it was modified progressively to carry the 22,000 lb Grand Slam bomb. The Lancaster will be remembered for its part in two spectacular operations: the breaching of the Mohne and Eder dams on the night of May 16-17,1943 by No 617 Squadron (led by Wing Cdr.

Guy Gibson); and the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz Its contribution to victory in World War II is best measured, however, by the total of 608,612 tons of bombs delivered, which represented two-thirds of the total bomb load dropped by the RAF from the time of its entry into service. A total of 7,366 Lancasters were built (including Mk Xs in Canada) and the type remained in front-line service with the RAF until 1954. Canada had some photo-reconnaissance Lancasters in service in 1964. Manufactured by Victory Aircraft in 1945, converted by Avro Canada to Mk.19P in 1949. This aircraft was retired on September 29, 1962. Specifications: World War II - Avro Lancaster Bomber Guns: 8 × .30 in (7.7 mm) machine guns Bombs: 14,000 lbs. depending on range, 1 x 22,000-lb. Grand Slam bomb Avro Lancaster - Design & Development: The Avro Lancaster originated with the design of the earlier Avro Manchester.

Responding to Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 which called for a medium bomber capable of being used in all environments, Avro created the twin-engine Manchester in the late 1930s. Similar in appearance to its later cousin, the Manchester utilized the new Roll-Royce Vulture engine. First flying in July 1939, the type showed promise, but the Vulture engines proved highly unreliable. As a result only 200 Manchesters were built and these were withdrawn from service by 1942. As the Manchester program was struggling, Avro's chief designer, Roy Chadwick, began work on an improved, four-engine version of the aircraft. Dubbed the Avro Type 683 Manchester III, Chadwick's new design utilized the more reliable Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and a larger wing. Renamed "Lancaster," development progressed quickly as the Royal Air Force was engaged in World War II . The Lancaster was similar to its predecessor in that it was a mid-wing cantilever monoplane, featured a greenhouse-style canopy, turret nose, and a twin tail configuration.

Built of all-metal construction, the Lancaster required a crew of seven: pilot, flight engineer, bombardier, radio operator, navigator, and two gunners. For protection, the Lancaster carried eight .30 cal. machine guns mounted in three turrets (nose, dorsal, and tail). Early models also featured a ventral turret but these were removed as they were difficult to site. Featuring a massive 33 ft.-long bomb bay, the Lancaster was capable carrying a load of up to 14,000 lbs. As work progressed, the prototype was assembled at Manchester's Ringway Airport. Avro Lancaster - Production: On January 9, 1941, it first took to the air with test pilot H.A. "Bill" Thorn at the controls. From the start it proved to be a well-designed aircraft and few changes were needed before moving into production. Accepted by the RAF, remaining Manchester orders were switched to the new Lancaster. A total of 7,377 Lancasters of all types were built during its production run.

While the majority was built at Avro's Chadderton plant, Lancasters were also built under contract by Metropolitan-Vickers, Armstrong-Whitworth, Austin Motor Company, and Vickers-Armstrong. The type was also built in Canada by Victory Aircraft. Avro Lancaster - Operational History: First seeing service with No. 44 Squadron RAF in early 1942, the Lancaster quickly became one of Bomber Command's principal heavy bombers. Along with the Handley Page Halifax, the Lancaster carried the load of the British nighttime bomber offensive against Germany. Through the course of the war, Lancasters flew 156,000 sorties and dropped 681,638 tons of bombs. These missions were hazardous duty and 3,249 Lancasters were lost in action (44% of all built). As the conflict progressed, the Lancaster was modified several times to accommodate new types of bombs. Initially capable of carrying 4,000-lb. blockbuster or "cookie" bombs, the addition of bulged doors to the bomb bay allowed the Lancaster to drop 8,000- and later 12,000-lb. blockbusters.

Additional modifications to the aircraft allowed them to carry the 12,000-lb. "Tallboy" and 22,000-lb. "Grand Slam" earthquake bombs which were used against hardened targets. Directed by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris , Lancasters played a key role in Operation Gomorrah which destroyed large parts of Hamburg in 1943. The aircraft was also widely used in Harris' area bombing campaign which flattened many German cities. During the course of its career, the Lancaster also achieved fame for conducting special, daring missions over hostile territory. One such mission, Operation Chastise a.k.a. the Dambuster Raids, saw specially modified Lancasters use Barnes Wallis' bouncing bombs to destroy key dams in the Ruhr Valley. Flown in May 1943, the mission was a success and provided boost to British morale. In the fall of 1944, Lancasters conducted multiple strikes against the German battleship Tirpitz , first damaging and then sinking it. The destruction of the ship removed a key threat to Allied shipping.

In the final days of the war, the Lancaster conducted humanitarian missions over the Netherlands as part of Operation Manna . These flights saw the aircraft drop food and supplies to that nation's starving population. With the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, many Lancasters were slated for transfer to the Pacific for operations against Japan. Intended to operate from bases in Okinawa, the Lancasters proved unnecessary following Japan's surrender in September. Retained by the RAF after the war, Lancasters were also transferred to France and Argentina. Other Lancasters were converted into civilian aircraft. Lancasters remained in use by the French, largely in maritime search/rescue roles, until the mid-1960s. The Lancaster also spawned several derivatives including the Avro Lincoln. An enlarged Lancaster, the Lincoln arrived too late to see service during World War II. Other types to come from the Lancaster included the Avro York transport and the Avro Shackleton maritime patrol/airborne early warning aircraft.

Selected Sources Avro Lancaster - Four-Engined Heavy Bomber / Reconnaissance Aircraft - Specifications, History and Images 2 x 7.7mm Browning machine guns in nose turret 2 x 7.7mm Browning machine guns in dorsal turret 4 x 7.7mm Browning machine guns in tail turret OPTIONAL: 4,000lbs to 22,000lbs of internal ordnance or specialized mission equipment (22,000lb Grand Slam, 12,000lb Tallboy or 9,250lb Upkeep bombs). Staff Writer (Updated: 8/31/2016): The Avro Lancaster went on to become the most important British heavy bomber or World War 2. Interestingly, its success was born from the failure of the Avro Manchester bomber - a twin-engined heavy bomber first flown in July of 1939 and adopted in November of 1940. The type was hampered by unreliable engines that led to only 202 examples being produced in all. The Lancaster was born from this failed design to include different engines set along a revised wing.

The prototype version was nothing more than a revised Manchester complete with its triple vertical finned tail unit - the key difference lay in the selection of the Rolls-Royce Merlin X series inline piston engines of 1,145 horsepower each. Within time, the triple-finned tail unit was given up in favor of the standard twin rudder arrangement common to the Lancaster history. In its prototype form, the Lancaster went airborne for the first time on January 9th, 1941. With World War 2 in full swing and the British commitment extensive, the prototype was quickly handed to Boscombe Down for formal evaluations. Development was so speedy that a production-quality form was airborne as early as October 1941 and the series, upon passing its requisite trials, was adopted for operational service in February of 1942, quantitative orders forthcoming. Early production versions were born for Manchester airframes still on Avro lines and inducted into RAF service as the Lancaster B.Mk I. With production in full swing, the Lancaster was immediately placed into frontline action. Each aircraft required a standard operating crew of seven to include the pilot, bombardier, navigator, flight engineer, radio operator, dorsal gunner and rear gunner.

Each man was specifically trained for their respective positions about the craft that ranged from the nose to the tail. The bomb bay was given much of the central internal volume. The flight deck consisted of a heavily glazed canopy with conventional seating and controls. The nose was equally glazed over to provide the bombardier and his equipment unfettered views of the action ahead and below. The undercarriage incorporated two main landing gear legs (single wheeled) with a tail wheel at rear. Outwardly, the Lancaster followed the same design style of other British bomber aircraft of the war, nothing beautiful but full of business. Original Lancasters showcased a bomb bay initially intended to carry up to 4,000lbs of ordnance. During the height of the war, a typical Lancaster set off with approximately 14,000lbs of conventional drop bombs and eventually even fielded the massive 22,000lb "Grand Slam" bombs (their size forced the bomb bay doors to be removed altogether).

Beyond its bomb load out for its offensive armament, the Lancaster was outfitted with no fewer than 8 x 7.7mm Browning machine guns for self-defense across three Frazer-Nash hydraulically-powered turrets at the nose, dorsal spine and tail. Two were installed in a nose/chin turret and operated by the bombardier. Two were fitted to the dorsal turret at amidships along the fuselage spine. Four were installed in a powered tail turret at the extreme aft of the aircraft. Unlike its American brethren, the Lancaster series (on the whole) lacked a belly turret and beam waist gunners for additional defense and utilized a smaller-caliber (7.7mm/0.303) machine gun (as opposed to 0.50 caliber). At one point, the thought of adding a belly turret as standard was entertained but never followed-up. Only a small number of early-form Lancasters were outfitted with ventral turrets (these armed with 2 x 0.303 machine guns). The need for capable Lancasters was such that its production was tied to other much-needed aircraft meaning that there proved a near-shortage of available Merlin engines threatening manufacture.

To supplement stocks of Rolls-Royce Merlins, the American concern of Packard was brought into the fold to produce the same powerplant in the United States (under license). In extreme circumstances, the RAF took on Lancasters fitted with Bristol Hercules VI/XVI radial piston engines of 1,735 horsepower. As Melin engines themselves evolved so too did the various Lancasters coming off the assembly lines - new mounts included the Merlin XX, 22 and 24 series. © Avro Lancaster - history, photos, specification of the Avro Lancaster Home » Great Britain » Avro Lancaster Avro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster won immortality with the "Dambusters'. Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, under Wing Commander Guy Gibson, used the new bomber for their 21 March 1943 low-level attacks on German dams using drum-like 4196-kg(9,230-lb.) bombs designed by Sir Barnes Wallis. But the Lancaster was much more than a one-mission wonder. Developed from the unsatisfactory twin-engined Avro Manchester, it was one of the few warplanes in history to be 'right' from the start.

It was so well-designed that only minor changes were made as production surged ahead through World War II. While Flying Fortresses and Liberators pounded Hitler's 'Fortress Europe' during the day, the Lancaster ruled the night. It was vulnerable to German fighters from below, but it was also fast and heavily armed, and it usually got through to the target. The Lancaster served well in post-war years, sometimes in civil duties. The final military user was Canada. Today, the Royal Air Force still maintains one flying Lancaster, alongside Spitfires and Hurricanes, in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The Avro Lancaster was Britain's greatest bomber of World War II providing the backbone of the RAF's night assault on Germany. This four-engined heavy bomber carried and delivered a bigger bombload than any other bomber in the European theatre. From its first minelaying mission in 1942 to its final bombing sortie of 1945, the 'Lanc' was a formidable fighting machine. One aircraft even survived 140 combat missions over Germany. It was one of the most spectacular missions of World War II. By the dead of night, RAF bombers mounted an attack on the Ruhr dams, whose associated power stations served Germany's greatest industrial complex.

Smashing the Mohne and Sorpe Dams with the revolutionary bouncing bomb, designed by Sir Barnes Wallis, the chosen crews of No. 617 Squadron performed a low-level night attack of unbelieveable precision. But although it disrupted German war production for some months, the raid had little permanent effect, and it cost the lives of 56 of the cream of British and Commonwealth aircrew. Sponsors Avro Lancaster | WWII (RAF) Great Britain Avro Lancaster In 1935, Avro became a subsidiary of Hawker Siddeley. ? Hawker Siddeley was a group of British manufacturing companies engaged in aircraft production? ??the companies continued to produce their own aircraft designs under their own name as well as sharing manufacturing work throughout the group. Additional Notes: The Avro Lancaster was a particularly famous Avro design. Over 7,000 Lancasters were built and their bombing capabilities led to their use in the famous Dam Busters raid. Top Categories Avro Lancaster Bomber the backbone of the British bomber command in World War II The "Lanc", as it was affectionately known, is one of the most famous and successful aircraft of all time.

— demonstrated superbly its right to fame with the daring and precise raids on the Ruhr dams in May 1943, and also the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz in November 1944. A real blueprint, developed direct from a vellum master -- expertly restored from old design drawings, factory plans, microfiche revision plates etc. Note: all reasonable efforts have been made to keep this blueprint historically accurate, with a balance for technical accuracy and usefulness -- this blueprint is offered for historical, research, and collectible purposes. Size: Developed on 42"x 30" master sheet. The Avro Lancaster was the definitive heavy bomber for the United Kingdom in World War Two. The Avro ... continues: Click here Hover Over Image to Enlarge The Avro Lancaster bomber shares first place with the Boeing B-17 as the best-known heavy bomber of WWII. Options (if any) & also purchased, you might like… Customers who bought the Avro Lancaster Bomber also purchased: P-39 Bell Airacobra History and Description: Avro Lancaster Bomber...

A real blueprint, developed direct from a vellum master -- expertly restored from old design drawings, factory plans, microfiche revision plates etc. Note: all reasonable efforts have been made to keep this blueprint historically accurate, with a balance for technical accuracy and usefulness -- this blueprint is offered for historical, research, and collectible purposes. Size: Developed on 42"x 30" master sheet. The Avro Lancaster was the definitive heavy bomber for the United Kingdom in World War Two. The Avro... continues below Continued from above… Two. The Avro Lancaster is regarded by many as the best bomber of either side in the Second World War. The system proved quite capable from the outset and was put into production the same year that the prototype had flown. From then on, the aircraft would see action as the principle heavy bomber of the United Kingdom, becoming responsible for well over 150,000 bombing sorties against the Third Reich. Like many successful aircraft the Lancaster not only looked good but its flying characteristics matched its appearance. It is all the more ironic therefore that the birth of Avro's mighty machine owed so much to failure, the failure of its immediate predecessor, the twin engine Avro Manchester.

The Avro 683 evolved almost accidentally as a result of recurrent failure of the insufficiently developed Rolls Royce Vulture engines installed in the Manchester. The industrial and military organization needed to build and operate the Lancaster was huge. Six major companies built 7377 aircraft at ten factories on two continents; at the height of production over 1,100,000 men and women were employed working for over 920 companies. More service personnel were involved in flying and maintaining it than any other British aircraft in history. The Lancaster flew for the first time on January 9,1941 as a four-engined development of the Avro Manchester designed by Roy Chadwick and his team of draughtsmen. The RAF began to equip with Mk Is in early 1942 and used them first on March 10th against targets in Essen. Altogether, more than 7,300 Lancasters were produced in Britain as Mks I to VII and Canada as Mk Xs built by Victory, and they dropped more than 608,000 tons of bombs on 156,000 wartime missions.

The Lancaster's operational career is littered with impressive statistics, but it is worth remembering that the average age of the seven-man crew was only 22 years. They endured danger and discomfort and many showed great courage in continuing to fly knowing the odds against survival were high. Bomber Command suffered the highest casualty rate of any branch of the British services in the Second World War,every week in the 'Flight' and 'Aeroplane' magazines there were lists of people lost whilst flying with Bomber Command. - A Lancaster Delivered Earthquake - The Big Bombs Using 'Tallboy' and 'Grand Slam' The 'Tallboy' or 'earthquake' bomb was designed for use against heavily fortified targets such as U-boat pens and underground factories. Invented by Barnes Wallis, it was a heavy-walled 12,000 pounder, 21 ft long, containing 43% explosive. Dropped from at least 8,000 feet, this deep penetration bomb literally shook the ground to pieces.

Although conceived early in the war, Barnes Wallis' invention was not used until June 1944 when a number were dropped on a railway tunnel in France to delay the movement of Panzer forces towards the invasion beaches. One of the bombs fell directly over the tunnel and bored down through seventy feet of solid rock to the rail level itself. When it exploded it brought down thousands of tons of earth which effectively sealed off the tunnel. Tallboys were a specialty of No 617 Squadron RAF and were dropped from specially converted Lancasters. The Tallboy offensive (1944-45), during which 854 were dropped on Germany and occupied territory, decimated the U-boat bases and it was these bombs that finally destroyed the German battleship Tirpitz. In March 1945 617 Squadron was expanded to take on an even bigger bomb called 'Grand Slam', which was used on similar targets including the V rocket sites. This was another heavy-walled 'earthquake' bomb again invented by Barnes Wallis; it weighed 22,000 lbs, length was 25 ft 5 ins and it contained 43% explosive.

The first Grand Slam was dropped on a railway viaduct at Bielefeld that had so far survived the war unscathed. It missed the target by several yards, but caused such a subterranean upheaval that seven arches of the viaduct collapsed. A few days later a similar bridge nearby was bombed in the same way, and this time there was no sign of it after the raid. The last attack using 'earthquake' bombs was reported to have been against Hitler's country house in Bavaria. The Lancasters usually ran in over the objective with the Grand Slams at about 12,000 feet. In heavy cloud 'sky-marking' by the Pathfinders using colored flares aided precision bombing. In all 41 Grand Slams had been dropped on enemy targets by the time hostilities ceased in May 1945.

Grand Slam Bomb The RAF's 'earthquake' bomb Although it is tempting to see the 22,000 lb 'Grand Slam' bomb as the logical development of the 12,000 lb 'Tallboy' which preceded it into service, the 'Grand Slam', the largest bomb ever used operationally, was in fact mooted before design of the 'Tallboy' began. At the time, though, no worthwhile targets lay within the range of. an Avro Lancaster carrying the larger bomb, and the idea was shelved. The occupation of France in the summer and autumn of 1944 altered the position, and so development of the bomb went ahead quickly. Only the Lancaster with a modified bomb-bay and its nose and dorsal turrets removed could carry the 'Grand Slam', which was designed to be dropped from high altitude. Its speed rose rapidly, allowing the bomb to plunge some 100 feet into the ground before the seven tons of HE (high explosive) filling were detonated. The effect of the explosion was not to blow a hole in the ground but rather to cause large earth tremors that would cause structures in the vicinity to fall down.

The test aircraft, PB529/G, was ready on 1st February 1945 for trials. The first, and fully successful, live drop was made on 13th March at the Ashley Walk bomb range. The squadron earmarked for service use of the monstrous new bomb was the famous No 617 at Woodhall Spa. Only one day after the first test, the squadron set out to attack the Bielefeld viaduct carrying the Hanover-Hamm railway. While 14 Lancasters carried 'Tallboys', Squadron-Leader C. C. Calder's PD112 carried a 'Grand Slam'. This landed within 30 yards of the viaduct and almost certainly knocked down some 100 yards of it. Only another 40 'Grand Slam' bombs were dropped in the war, all by No 617 Squadron, but these caused some very considerable damage to major targets relatively immune from conventional bombing. Among these were the Arnsberg Bridge, Arbergen Bridge (near Bremen), Nienburg Bridge (Bremen), Farge U-boat pens, and the Heligoland forts.

No 617 was then earmarked for 'Grand Slam' targets in Japan but the war ended before they were due to leave England. The Lancaster had to be lightened and modified in order to carry this bomb. Fact File: The Lancaster Bomber Aircraft of Bomber Command The Lancaster Bomber During the 1930's few would have foreseen that Britain would be as isolated and vulnerable as it became in 1940. Indeed, few people today understand how threatened the future of the entire free world was. The situation for the beleaguered island at this point in its history was bleak indeed. Offshore was an enemy held continent, and that enemy was bent on conquering the British Isles. The British army had been defeated in France, supplies from North America were being cut off by the enemy's fleet of submarines, and Britain was suffering heavy air attack. Furthermore, although Canada had declared war on Germany one week after the British declaration, the United States continued to remain neutral and showed little indication that it would become involved.

Related Articles Roy Chadwick - Architect of Wings Faced with this situation during the summer of 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill threw his support behind the defensive power of the Royal Air Force's Fighter Command and the development of Bomber Command with the words: "The Navy can lose us the war, but only the Air Force can win it. Therefore our supreme effort must be to gain overwhelming mastery in the air. The Fighters are our salvation, but the Bombers alone provide the means of victory." With this decision a massive effort was begun towards the production of heavy bombers and the training of aircrew to fly them. The Avro Lancaster evolved from Britain's concerns regarding the deteriorating international situation during the late 1930's. The Handley-Page Halifax, Short Stirling, and the twin-engined Avro Manchester were all in the planning stages as the war began in 1939. The prototype twin-engined Manchester flew in 1939 but was plagued by instability and problems with its complex, 24 cylinder Rolls Royce Vulture engines. Of the 202 Manchesters built more were lost to engine failure than enemy action.

But even before the Manchester flew on operations, the aircraft's designer, Roy Chadwick , realized that the aircraft would have serious shortcomings and made plans for its modification. He added twelve feet to the wingspan and replaced the two troublesome Vulture engines with four of the proven Rolls Royce Merlins V-12's and the result was the Lancaster which made its maiden flight in January, 1941. A colleague later wrote that Chadwick, "showed himself to be a most resourceful and courageous designer, ultimately snatching success from failure in the most ingenious way with a superlatively successful operational aircraft." The new bomber was immediately regarded as a success and large production orders were placed. Avro's production facilities were soon overwhelmed, and numerous other companies and contractors joined the effort to produce Lancasters. Consisting of 55,000 separate parts, it has been estimated that half a million different manufacturing operations were involved to produce just one aircraft. Peak production was achieved during August 1944 when 293 aircraft were produced. Lancasters first flew operationally in March 1942 and were well received by their aircrew. It was regarded as "a pilot's airplane" which inspired confidence.

Evidence of this is the story of a Lanc flight engineer who, having feathered two engines and facing the prospect of flying over several hundred miles of cold, unfriendly ocean, turned to his pilot and said, "I suppose this means we shall be bloody late for breakfast!" The proven Rolls Royce Merlin engines were much in demand for many types of aircraft. For this reason a version of the aircraft was produced which made use of Bristol Hercules radial engines. [ photo by Steven Hatton ] stevehatton38 at hotmail dot com During World War II the Lancaster was the most successful bomber used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force.The Lanc had speed, ceiling, and lifting power that no other aircraft of the day could match. Weighing 36,900 pounds empty, the Lancaster was capable of taking off with an additional 33,100 pounds of fuel and bombs; in other words it could almost carry its own weight again. The Lancaster carried 64% of the tonnage dropped by the RAF and RCAF during the war.

The "Grand Slam", a 22,000 pound special purpose bomb designed to penetrate concrete and explode below the surface to create an earthquake effect, could only be delivered by the Lancaster and the Lancaster was thus chosen for special operations such as the "Dambusters" raid and the attack which sunk the German Battleship Tirpitz. Lancasters were built to accomplish their specific purpose and crew comfort and security was clearly a secondary consideration. Generally flying under the cover of darkness, the Lancaster had virtually no defensive armour. The front, mid-upper, and rear gun turrets were hydraulically powered and carried a total of eight .303 calibre machine guns for defence against enemy aircraft. The crew worked in cramped conditions, particularly the air gunners who remained at their posts for the entire flight. Some had to place their flight boots into the turrets before climbing in, and then put their boots on. At night and at 20,000 feet the temperature in the turrets frequently fell to minus forty degrees and frostbite was not uncommon. Air gunners manned the rear and mid-upper gun turrets. A pilot, flight engineer, navigator, wireless operator, and bomb aimer/front gunner completed the crew of seven.

The Lanc's massive bomb bay stretched for 33 feet and, unlike other bombers, was one continuous uninterrupted space. Partly for this reason, the Lanc had the versatility to undertake raids with large, specialized weapons. However, this meant that the main wing spars became obstacles to movement within the aircraft, particularly for airmen wearing heavy clothing and flight boots. Of the total of 7,377 Lancasters built ( 430 of them in Canada ), 3,932 were lost in action. During the war Lancasters flew a total of 156,308 sorties and dropped 608,612 tons of bombs, and placed over 12,000 mines in enemy waters. Some of the aircraft's finest hours were in "non-offensive" operations as the war was about end and shortly after peace finally was in place. The first of these was during "Operation Manna." Lancaster squadrons dispatched a total of 3,156 sorties to drop 6,684 tons of food supplies to the starving Dutch in May 1945.

The second saw many of the Lancaster squadrons tasked to return Allied Prisoners of War from various locations throughout Europe back to England. In a period of 24 days a total of 2900 round trips were flown and 74,000 ex-POW's were returned. With the end of hostilities on all war fronts, the Lancaster was by no means finished in its service. The RAF continued to use the aircraft in various roles including photographic and maritime duties until October 1956. The Royal Canadian Air Force, who flew back many of the surviving Mk.X's back to Canada, continued to use the aircraft in photographic and maritime reconnaissance roles until the early 1960's. The last three RCAF Lancasters were retired at a ceremony on April 1, 1964. What is probably the finest tribute to the aircraft was written by Marshall of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur T. Harris, wartime chief of Bomber Command: "The finest bomber of the war! Its efficiency was almost incredible, both in performance and in the way it could be saddled with ever-increasing loads without breaking the camel's back. The Lancaster far surpassed all the other types of heavy bombers.

Not only could it take heavier bomb loads, not only was it easier to handle, and not only were there fewer accidents than with other types, the casualty rate was also consistently below those of other types." "The Lancaster took the major part in winning the war with its attacks on Germany. On land it forced the Germans to retrieve from their armies half their sorely needed anti-tank guns for use by over a million soldiers who would otherwise have been serving in the field. The Lancaster won the naval war by destroying over one-third of the German submarines in their ports, together with hundreds of small naval craft and six of their largest warships. Above all, the Lancaster won the air war by taking the major part in forcing Germany to concentrate on building and using fighters to defend the Fatherland, thereby depriving their armies of essential air and particularly bomber support." Bomber Command Museum of Canada Avro Lancaster | Aircraft Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit The Lancaster is a modified version of the Avro Manchester, which was two engined, medium bomber. The Manchester's main problem was the Rolls Royce Vulture engines it used because they were underpowered and unreliable.

Avro's Chief Designer Roy Chadwick worked on a new version of the Manchester, designated the Manchester III, later renamed the Lancaster. Chadwick's design basis was using 4 Rolls Royce Merlin engines on a longer and wider wing than the Manchesters. Bomber Commad The primary user of the Lancaster was the Bristish Bomber Command where it's primary role was that of a heavy bomber. The Lancaster was brought into service with 44 Squadron, RAF Bomber Command in early 1942. By the end of the war the Lancaster had flown 156,000 sorties over 3 years and had dropped 618,378 tonnes of bombs over occupied Europe. Famous Raids The Lancaster participated in many daring raids in the Second World War which have no became ledgendary. The DamBusters Edit One of the most famous operations during the War in which 617 squadron commanded by Wing Commander Guy GIbson VC DSO DFC attacked three Nazi dams in the Ruhr valley. In the raid the squadron succesfully breached two of the dams (The Mohne and the Eder dams).

The squadron aircraft T for Tommy managed to drop a bomb on the Sorpe dam which exploded but did not breach the dam. The squadron attacked the dams with a 'Bouncing Bomb' which is actually designated a depth charge ws designed by Barnes Wallis and produced by Vickers-Armstrong. Post War Edit There are currently two airworthy Lancasters - one based in Canada, and the other based in the UK with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight . Overall there are 25 aircraft which remain althoug they are in a variety of conditions (On display, restoration etc) After the War many Lancasters were flown to Canada where they were given a maritime Search and Rescue role. Other aircraft were either sold as scrap or flown to various museums to undertake restoration and are now on public display.

Question: The 'Lancaster' bomber of World War II was developed from which other aircraft?
Answer: AVRO MANCHESTER